Another first timer needing your humble opinion and advice!

bbl4ck

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I have been watching the Warmoth site for some time and drooling over all the sweet axes.  It's cool that everyone is so willing to advise and comment.  I am finally ready to dive into my first build which will hopefully be a smokin’ Vee.  I know what I want for the most part, but need some opinions about the body wood.  I fell in love with a neck from another build that was Wenge w/ Ebony fretboard.  Looks great and everyone says that Wenge plays great as well.  My concern is the body!  I want to do a Zebrawood laminate top, but am not certain about the body wood.  I thought about a mahogany base, but am concerned about having a hodgepodge of woods that may not blend well with each other.  Here is what I have so far.

Vee body with Zebrawood top and ?? body.  :icon_scratch:
Wenge neck w/ Ebony fretboard and Shark Fin inlay

All hardware in black:
Rio Grande Texas Barbeque humbucker set
Tonepros Tune-O-Matic bridge
Bigsby tremolo [any concerns here]
Planet Waves tuners


Any thoughts you may have about a good choice for body wood [or any other concerns; even different laminate] would be greatly appreciated.  :help:
Thanks for your time and opinions.  Have a smooth day!  :rock-on:

 
Mahogany, korina, alder or ash would all work for the body; cosmetically mahogany or alder would probably work best as I'm guess you'll be doing some kind of clear gloss finish on the Zebrawood?

I don't know about the Bigsby; the only thing mountable on a V body would be a B5, to my eye that would look a little odd on a V, but whatever turns your crank; do you use a Bigsby on a current guitar?
 
Lonnie Mack (Wham!) had a frame on his V to mount a long Bigsby - I'm sure if you do some googling you can come up with obsessive specs on the thing.

LonnieMack.jpg


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjdbXwD-xnk


 
bbl4ck said:
All hardware in black:
Rio Grande Texas Barbeque humbucker set
Tonepros Tune-O-Matic bridge
Bigsby tremolo [any concerns here]
Planet Waves tuners


Any thoughts you may have about a good choice for body wood [or any other concerns; even different laminate] would be greatly appreciated.   :help:
Thanks for your time and opinions.  Have a smooth day!  :rock-on:

Does the all black hardware include a black Bigsby?  If the hodgepodge of different woods seems be too busy for you, have the back of the body painted black.  You could always do the fretboard and neck woods the same too.  Ebony/Ebony, Rosewood/Rosewood, or Pau Ferro/Pau Ferro.  I would say Wenge/Wenge, but I don't think they offer a Wenge fretboard.  Can't wait to see the Bigsby on a Warmoth V!
 
"I would say Wenge/Wenge, but I don't think they offer a Wenge fretboard"

There have been some all Wenge necks in the Showcase before, but I don't remember of they were one piece Wenge or with Wenge fretboards.

There is a Wenge/Wenge bass neck in the Showcase, it's doable, but would probably require custom ordering:

http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?Bass=1&Body=1&Path=Neck&i=BN2191
 
jackthehack said:
"I would say Wenge/Wenge, but I don't think they offer a Wenge fretboard"

There have been some all Wenge necks in the Showcase before, but I don't remember of they were one piece Wenge or with Wenge fretboards.

There is a Wenge/Wenge bass neck in the Showcase, it's doable, but would probably require custom ordering:

http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?Bass=1&Body=1&Path=Neck&i=BN2191

Wenge/Wenge is available in a from scratch custom build!
 
You are correct about the Bigbsy B-5.  It does fit well on the V and does not require that wacky bracket that Lonnie Mack uses.  The model B-500 is the version that comes in black.  I am now trying to find out if the B-5 and B-500 have the same dimensions.  Cannot really tell from the pic on the Bigsby website and they are not answering emails.  I have not tried a Bigsby.  I just know that I want a tremolo bar and I like the looks of the Bigsby.  Have not been able to find one on a guitar to test.  Here is a pic of the Bigsby mounted on a V from the Bigsby website. 

  http://www.bigsbyguitars.com/gibson_v_pop.html

Thanks for all your input!  :toothy10:
 
You anywhere near a Guitar Center? Most Gretsch guitars come with a Bigsby installed standard, check and see if there are other dealers in your area that stock them, that would at least give you a chance to check out how they work.
 
Hm....shark fins and a bigsby...seems like a weird combo.  Other than that it sounds like an awesome build. 
 
I'd say go with black korina on the body Bart, that usually looks kick ass with zebra wood. And i like the Bigsby idea especially in black. That should be a killer combo... :icon_thumright:
 
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